


Mångata

by Agirllovespancakes



Category: Prospect (2018)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Romantic Friendship, Slow Burn, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:07:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25422145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Agirllovespancakes/pseuds/Agirllovespancakes
Summary: Reader is a student and an illustrator. For her internship she needs a harvester.
Relationships: Ezra (Prospect 2018)/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

She was drawing him. With a pencil in the darkest corner of this settlement people called a bar. Too early for her appointment with a harvester she sat down at this table and ordered a warm drink. Bringing her sketchbook and pencils with her, in case she was bored or too early, she went to draw the people sitting at other tables or at the bar. She tried to figure out their vibes, the way their mouths moved or how their eyes shone in this light. After warming up with a few loose sketches based on some sad looking faces she was drawn to him. Watching him she chose a new page and first made a sketch of him. She smiled at how he was watching his mate, friend, whoever it was sitting next to him. With barely light here she still could see him well. He was sitting in a perfect spot for her, across from her, a straight line basically. A small part of his hair painted white, blonde, not specifically visible from where she sat. And his eyes, she tried to draw them accurately. His crooked nose, his scar and that shirt he wore. When she was almost finished she noticed there was something off and went to fix it. One gaze upon his figure she made a sad expression, seeing he left his seat. She quickly checked the bar, perhaps he moved away or went to the bathroom. She couldn’t find him anymore. Looking at her drawing she smiled, it was accurate she proudly announced to herself. She loved drawing strangers, creating a personality for how they moved and looked like. She sighed happily, checking her watch to see the clock. The harvester she has an appointment with should be here within a half hour. You should have left later she thought. She silently sipped from her drink, not noticing something watching her. Until he cleared his throat and she snapped her head toward him. 

It was the man she was drawing and he grinned at her. His eyes scanning the drawing she made of him, the sketchbook was still open on her lap, with pencil and all. She blushed, not sure how to explain this.   
“I must say I’m flattered to see my own face on such paper. I must ndulge your portrait of me is very impressive.”   
“Thank you.” She answered. She had to restrain herself from closing the book. Instead she asked him if he wanted to take a closer look. Handing over the book she saw him eyeing the drawing of himself. He mumbled many words and she tried to listen to him, aware he wasn’t entirely speaking to her.   
“What was the reason you chose me?” And she saw him smirking delightful at her. The bastard she thought.   
“Just the way you sat there. With a vibe.” She tried to explain.   
“A vibe? What vibe did I give off?” His interest for her choice was visible in his voice and she smiled at that. Not many people liked to hear what vibe they seemed to have to her.   
“Like you know things. Like you are interested in the world around you. Because you were giving so much attention to the people around you. Like you would read a ton of books.” She would have gone further but this personality she gave his portrait was made up. Who wouldn’t be insulted if it was inaccurate. Yet, he crooked a smile, wide and delighted.   
“Impressive.” Was all he said. It meant a lot to her she thought. He gave her back the book and for a second she thought he would disappear again. However, he moved closer over the soft surface of the couch. He looked at her like he looked at them and she blushed again, it was like he watched right through her.   
“And what is a girl like you doing here alongside drawing handsome strangers?” He laughed at his own question.   
“I am waiting for someone actually.” She said. “I am studying for management of flora and fauna. For my thesis I need an internship. What is a better way to study nature than helping a harvester while on his job. As a harvester you see more planets than anyone, and their knowledge of creatures and plants of those planets are insane. Besides harvesters understand better what management planets need to stay healthy.”   
He raised his eyes at her explanation. A laugh escaped from him and he leaned forward toward her.   
“And is this appointment with your harvester coincidentally at 9 pm here?”   
She gulped. Her eyes quickly watching her watch around her left wrist. It was 8.50 pm, he or she must be here already. Could it? She looked up at him. He wore a knowing smirk.   
“Are you the harvester?” She asked. She knew what the answer would be. It would be too much of coincidence if two harvesters had an appointment with someone at 9 pm in this bar.   
And he nodded, slowly. 

Before they even spoke about the terms and agreements she already agreed in her mind. Things she had to acknowledge before saying yes didn’t matter to her. She wanted to say yes immediately, she only listened to his terms out of respect and interest. She liked how he inspected the drawing. And he gave attention to her explanation. It was rare for her to meet people so interest in each other. She hoped the internship would be fantastic.


	2. Mångata

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Internship reader and Ezra left for a planet.

He took her to a planet that was called Mångata. It wasn’t its real name. That was a surname. The name was devised by harvesters who saw the miracles of the waters there. A name spread throughout the universe and each harvester or researcher suddenly stopped naming the planet by its actual name. She decided to do the same because it fit the planet so well. Walking over the long neverending fields of this area she checked her surroundings in awe. Thousands of plants and flowers growing hastily in this sun that only showed up for five hours approximately. They depended heavily on these hours of light for their growth. Also a known reason why no trees survived here. A tree needs more than five hours to grow steadily and strong to survive harsh weathers. Ezra explained her Mångata is very similar to earth when she was very young. A planet that possibly could grow to become a second Earth. 

Over the whole planet it was just fields and fields of plants and flowers. Small but strong and ready for the winter mostly. The seas were bigger, and the deep blue color too beautiful to possibly describe. Research showed it is full of small creatures, prokaryotes and bacteria. She remembered reading about the biological history of Earth. That it was only sea at first with prokaryotes growing bigger to become eukaryotes, and after many years they grew to become small animals like fishes. She smiled at the idea that the universe could be full of these planets. Planets alike to Earth not taken by humanity to be destroyed in only one century. 

Ezra kneeled down, he touched the ground and she noticed he closed his eyes for a while. Taking in the surroundings she supposed. She wasn’t sure how harvesters work, perhaps this is a ritual they all do before taking things from the planet. Ezra was one of the few harvesters put on the list of her university, harvesters who earned the medaille of being loyal to planets. Working while making sure planets weren’t destroyed. There wasn’t a description or even a picture. Just his name and age she remembered. No student could ask specifically for a harvester. The university wanted people to be surprised who they got to work with. She has luckily never had a partner who was not doing what they were supposed to do. And thus, she liked Ezra for his professionalism and expertise in his work. Her internship would be useful for her study and thesis.   
“Must I kneel too?”   
He chuckled. “No, why are you asking?”   
“Because you do. I wasn’t sure if it was part of a ritual. Do harvesters have rituals?”   
“We are not religious birdie, however it does feel like a great responsibility.”   
She nodded. Standing behind him he of course didn’t see that.   
“We will start tomorrow. I want us to be fully rested before work begins.”   
“Of course, what are we gonna do now? The sun is shining for two more hours.”   
Getting up he turned toward her. His expression joyish. “We could walk around. And you could make more illustrations.”   
Her face lit up in excitement. 

“What kind of a plant is that?” She grabbed her green pencils. Drawing lines of the plant’s structures.   
“That’s a cycas. On earth they existed as well in this timespan. Later used as houseplants on earth. They don’t seem to exist on other planets which is fascinating because they can survive everything.” He started telling about the other plants that were listed as prehistoric plants.   
“The only difference with this planet are the flowers. On earth there didn’t grow flowers for 300 million or more years after the first plants started to grow. And here, they started to exist at the same time. A marvellous difference in my opinion.”   
“Ezraa!”   
“What is it?”   
“I only asked what plant it was.” She laughed. “You really don’t have to feel like you should explain the whole history.”   
“If you haven’t noticed it already, I love explaining those subjects to my partners.”   
“I know. I love to hear it.” She said. And she did, really. It was refreshing to have someone who didn’t feel pushed to have to explain everything. He was a talker out of habit, it was his personality. As opposed to partners she had who didn’t want to explain anything and just did what was necessary.   
She slowly made a portrait of the cycas, making sure it was fully visible with all the details in the leaves. She noticed Ezra was watching her with his expressive eyes. His hands resting in his lap he sat next to her on the ground. He didn’t seem to do anything other than watching her draw those plants. It wasn’t creepy, actually quite comforting to her. As if he had been there since the beginning and never left her.   
“Ezra, have you worked with many people before?” She put down her pencil to look at him. He sighed.   
“I haven’t had partners with me for their internship if that’s what you aim at. In general I have had a respectful amount of partners. Professional and intimate.. Quite joyful sometimes.”   
She blushed at his words somehow, tugging at her shirt she tried to hide it. He smirked, noticing it. She wanted to open her mouth to say something but she shut it quickly, embarrassment flooding her.  
“What did you want to say Birdie? Nothing to be ashamed of.” He leaned forward.   
“Well, I wondered. They say harvesters are often lonely because their profession demands so much of them. Is it true?”  
He sighed deeply: “Aren’t we all love deprived.”  
“True- She looked down at her illustration. -I always imagine love to be like that of swans, wolves or turtle doves. To be special. And lasting forever.”  
He chuckled. “That is adoring.”   
He looked up at the sky, furrowing his brows at the arriving clouds.   
“Birdie, it seems a storm will accompany us.” His hands reached for his books that were splayed out around the both of them.  
She looked up as well, seeing the sky had darkened. “Are you sure? It still looks calm.”  
“Trust me. There is a storm coming and we will have to shelter in the pod.”  
She pouted, realizing that meant they had to stay inside for several hours. 

The breeze they encountered on the way back to the pod quickly grew to become a hard taunting storm. Lifting the pod slightly and a cracking noise returned every few minutes. She heard the soft thunder in a distance, growing louder over the hours. The lightning decorated the sky. At home she enjoyed storms and would sit in front of windows with her books or sketchbooks. In this place she did rather stay in the middle of the pod, avoiding the window at all cost. The underlying threat of the storm scared her. Ezra noticed and promptly commented how the pod could use some decoration with curtains. She knew why he proposed it and pulled a smile, 

She worked on her thesis. Describing certain plants and their history. Her thesis was about the birth of earth and she eagerly wrote down all the stories Ezra told her that afternoon. She didn’t know much about the history as much as she wanted to and secretly hoped he would start about it again. The pod was too small for them, they bumped in each other often. She was too restless to stay seated and put away her thesis. Ezra didn’t seem to mind having to wait so long in the pod until they could go travel. Busy scrabbling down sentences in his journals. He frowned and smiled often at his own work. She quirked an eyebrow, sensing he was very much attached to them. She grabbed a few pencils and decided to draw him again.  
The light was less dark in the pod but yellowish. She had to draw him differently. She started with his eyes, expressive as always and there was a glint in them. As if they carried many emotions she couldn’t place immediately. She knew she couldn’t do them right as she pretty much didn’t know much about him. She went further with the nose, the scar and his mouth. It crooked into a smirk and his eyes flashed toward her.   
“It is exhilarating to know I am once again a subject of divine arts.”   
She looked up, feeling like she was trapped. “Smooth.” A blush crept up.  
He chuckled, not looking up from his notes.  
“I couldn’t resist.” She admitted. Heat rushed to her cheeks.  
“Of course not, I am too charming to resist.”  
His words stirred a well known feeling in her core. She looked away, trying to ignore it.

“What are you writing?” She asked after recovering from her embarrassing thoughts about the situation.  
“Thoughts and stories.” He simply answered.   
“You write stories?”  
He chuckled again. This time he looked up, pleased with her interest. “No, well, stories about my encounters.”  
“So I am part of it.” She blurted out.  
He grinned at her. “So it seems.”  
She gasped. “Would it be rude to ask if I could read some?”  
“Not at all birdie. I must warn my journals are messy.”  
She beamed at him, climbing on his cod to sit before him. She crossed her legs and carefully opened the journal to read a few sentences.   
“You are an eloquent writer. Impressive, have you published books?”  
He smiled at her question. “I did rather share it with my friends and lovers just so I know what effect it has.”  
“Hmm, it sure has an affect on me.” She laughed.   
A sudden silence followed, allowing them to almost think out loud. She didn’t dare to look up at him again, knowing he was staring at her. Nervous for what could happen next. 

“Birdie?”  
She looked up at him, hesitant. “Yes?”  
He shifted closer. His hands taking the journal back from hers, his fingers brushing over hers. A tingling shot through her body. She gulped, hoping he didn’t notice. But he looked her so deep in her eyes she felt like he knew everything already.  
“You want to see the Mångata?”


	3. Mångata

In the following hours they had to stay in the pod he guided her through many books and journals he kept. He showed her quite some stories about the mångata. A natural phenomenon that was the reason for the new name this planet got. The light the moon shines on the water. The deep rich color of the seas and lakes make the light stay longer. And there were rumors, legends, that underneath the earth they could find caves. Caves large, deep and full of lakes, hidden away from the daylight and the moonlight. And yet, through small holes in the earth light would seep through and moonlight would shine on the lakes in the caves. A universal treasure many tried to capture. And many never found their way back. It is said that those hidden holes are too deep and dangerous. Impossible to climb and thus mankind would die in the caves of hunger or if they had back luck, wounds. No, said Ezra when she asked if they went to search for it. She watched him afraid at first, worried that he was being reckless and wanted to find it. He assured her he would never do such a ridiculous thing. ‘Life is too precious to waste it on a legend’ he spoke while searching for the legends in his journals. 

She thought it was romantic. The idea of being in a cave or at the seaside and watching the moon lighting the water. It used to happen on earth as well they said. Except the difference would be that here, in this place, the effect is much stronger. An energy seeping through the light, almost hypnotizing the watchers into staying there for hours. Just until the sun comes up again. One of his journals contained a whole paragraph about this plus an illustration.  
“Who made this?” She asked eagerly. Tracing her fingers over the illustration. The paint is thick on the page. And shiny in the yellowish light.  
“A good friend of mine.” He answered  
“Did they paint often?”  
“No, for him it was more of a relief. Like a way to escape the life of being a harvester. He only painted when he had too.”  
“He had to paint the legend.” She nudged him. “Romantic.”  
“Pardon my comment but I believe you think everything is romantic.” He laughed at her.  
“No, I am not. It is just, I think everything contains beauty which can be romantic to one or another.”  
“A long way of saying ‘yes, I think everything is romantic’.”   
They laughed afterwards. 

When the heavy storm finally slowed down they both took care of their backpacks and suits. The sun shone through the windows and she could feel the warmth on her skin. It excited her. There were two hours left this day to seek a good spot to enjoy the sea to watch the mångata. Ezra muttered thousands of words to describe the beauty of it and the enthusiasm in his voice was audible. She grinned at her harvester who was too eager to show it to her. 

The path they took toward the spot was difficult. Ezra used a stick and a long knife to cut the grass for her. She stumbled over the strange plants holding her back. Her throat dry from the sudden change in the atmosphere, thick and foggy like they were in the jungle. Her back was wet from the sweat and she gulped, looking forward to a welcoming rest. She focused on the dirt under her feet as she kept walking behind him until she bumped into him.   
“What?” She yelped. He chuckled.   
“Look where you are walking Birdie. We don’t want you to get lost here.”  
She bit her lip. Tired from the warmth and ready to snap back a word or two. However he excitedly held a plant in his gloved hand, bringing it closer to her.   
“Noli Tangere.” He said.  
“Touch me not?” She asked curiously.  
“Indeed. Fascinating isn’t it. Known on earth for the seed that jumps out when you press on the flower.” With his gloved thumb he pressed on it. The seed popped out, ending next to you in the soil.  
“A new plant growing out.” She added.  
“Well Birdie, it seems you know already much about it.” He grinned, letting the plant go.  
“Hmm I do. But I love your enthusiasm! It is endearing.” She blushed realizing what she just said.  
“Endearing? Me? I am delighted to hear such words coming out from my partner’s mouth.” He winked at her before retrieving his task to cut the grass.   
She couldn’t say anything for the next few minutes. Too occupied with her brain telling her to stop running her mouth. She almost bumped into Ezra again when he suddenly stopped and turned.   
“Ezra, what are you doing?”  
“Do you also know the family name? Or how many kinds there are?” He looked her directly in the eye, daring her to answer him.  
To make him shut up about the matter she decided to say no. “No, I don’t. I forgot.”  
He smirked in happiness. “Oh you should! It is fascinating, really-, he turned back to his task and talked further while cutting the gras, -The family is called Balsaminaceae and there are 800 to 900 kinds. Some of them are able to bloom all year.”   
She smiled from ear to ear hearing him telling her more facts. She had forgotten what it was like to have someone with you too enthusiastic to stop talking. She wondered if he ever was silent for like more than an hour. She doubted it strongly.

It was an hour later they found the spot he so desperately tried to find. A short hour to go before the moon comes and they could watch the mångata. She threw out her sketchbooks, and laid down on her stomach on the short grass with a sketchbook in her hands. Using a smaller pencil to draw the shortcut grass surrounding them. Ezra used this moment to mutter new facts about another plant they encountered. She wished she could make him shut up for a moment with some fact, surprising him so much he would be quiet. Instead it was him coming up with a new fact she didn’t know yet.   
“Wait what?” She said, with wide eyes. “What did you say about a seed and 1500 years?”  
He smirked at her cockily. “Finally a fact you don’t know already.”  
“What are you talking about? I didn’t know about the family?” Faking her surprise.  
“Birdie.” A disapproving sound audible in his voice. “I can hear it when you lie. Your voice is a pitch higher when you do. Small difference but all the more clear to me.”   
She blinked at him, not sure what to answer.  
“Shall I continue on this fact then? You seem eager to learn a new one.” His expression changed when she got up to sit. She didn’t see it but his eyes watched the way she moved.   
“Okay, I am listening. What seed?”  
“The lotus flower.” He started.  
“They once found a few old seeds from the lotus flower in a dried lake. Planted all seven of them and they all came out. They were found in a dried lake in the once existing China. A beautiful country like each one on Earth. I know you don’t study history but I recommend reading books about this country, it is interesting. Back to the seed- he chuckled, - it germinated after 1500 years. That is how old the oldest seed was. Quite impressive. There have been seeds surviving longer. However those did so with the help of humans, being put in something to stay safe. This one, it stayed safe on its own. Just like that, in a lake in China. Your university should have teached you that.”   
“Ezra I am a first year student.”  
“Fine, they should teach you someday.”  
“Three more years. Enough chances but I already know it now. Because of you.”  
“Of course. I am your harvester. You are here to learn from me.”  
She shook her head, smiling wide. 

“Enough talking. You see the moon coming up?” Ezra suddenly spoke out.  
She wanted to protest by saying he is the one who keeps talking but she looked at the sea. “It is gorgeous.”   
Struck by its beauty she grabbed her pencil and started drawing this phenomenon. Making thick lines to accentrate the horizon and the moon. With a softer pencil she started drawing the moonlight that was casted down on the sea. Light bouncing off and almost blinding the pair.  
She felt Ezra shifting to sit next to her. His eyes glued to the moon and the light it casted down on the sea. But she felt his presence stronger. And his right arm snaked around her shoulders to get her closer. It was the first time they were having a more intimate moment together, feeling each other's warmth. She smiled and decided to put down her pencil to just admire the view, and to enjoy his arm that was put around her.

It was difficult to stop watching the moonlight as it felt hypnotizing. She wanted to stay like this and keep watching until the moon would disappear and the sun would start shining again. It was Ezra who at some point shrugged himself awake and quietly told her to gather herself together. They had to force themselves to look the other way to not feel its prying light on them.   
“Do not look Birdie or you will be struck again.” He warned with a worried expression. Just like many other beautiful phenomenons, this one could be deadly as well. You needed a lot of strength to refuse looking at the moon and the light and to not keep sitting like that.   
Ezra told her to snuggle in her sleeping bag and to look at anything else except the moon. She decided to look at him, he was distracting enough she told herself. She giggled seeing him struggle in his sleeping bag.  
“Not comfortable?”  
“Kevva knows a bed is always the most comforting place to sleep.”  
“Aren’t you supposed to be used to this?”  
“Give an old man some rest Birdie. We are not all young and fit anymore.” He gave her a sly smirk.  
She shuddered under his looks. “You are not old. You are barely older than me.”   
“Yes I am. For example, I have to stretch every morning and you don’t.”  
She couldn’t hold inside her laughter. “I feel my muscles too.”   
He snickered. “Sleep!”  
“Fine.”

The next day when the light came up they quickly packed their things together and rushed back to their pod. Ezra told her he wanted to harvest today and to do so they must be back in an hour. The other four hours left for harvesting. He wanted her to teach some facts about gems and the harvesting task. They didn’t take the same road back. It was the fun ride he insisted. That’s why they took longer yesterday to come there. This one would be quicker to walk. She felt rushed. Her feet feeling the crusty rocks underneath her, small rocks sliding away. It is dangerous sometimes Ezra told her. “Watch your feet!”  
She didn’t mind but he seemed too eager to rush back. She almost wanted to tell him to calm down because they have three more months to spend on this planet. However she didn’t want to offend him. Perhaps harvesting was very time consuming. Placing her right foot on a rock to jump over a hole she felt unsure to place her weight on it. The voice from Ezra echoing that she had to hurry. His back almost disappeared between the high grass.   
“Wait.” She yelled, stepping on the rock. It slipped away underneath her foot and she fell forward. The soil underneath her cracked and broke apart, she fell in between the rocks and soil. Screaming his name.


	4. mångata

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezra feels helpless and tries to save her. Upon finding her they meet new consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for taking so long to update this story. Life was a bit rough. I hope you guys like the new chapter. I have plans for the last two chapters <3

With trembling fingers she reached for something, whatever it was, just to feel less disorientated in the surrounding darkness. She whimpered and placed her hand on her stomach. With the other she leaned on a rock. With ragged breathing she tried to get up but she flinched in pain. That is when she realized her hand was now covered in warm fluid, blood. Her blood! With a pained cry she looked up, there was sunlight getting through a tiny hole in this cave. The hole she fell through. She cursed at herself and sat down on the wet soil underneath her. Darkness surrounded her like a cold blanket, ready to swallow her for eternity. She closed her eyes, trying to forget the pain that was increasing with the minute and the blood that was spreading further through her clothes.

In those minutes a panicked Ezra ran back to where she disappeared. He cursed loud and kneeled before the hole. No response was heard when he shouted her name. He moved to lay down on his stomach to reach further, to see more. Darkness was all he could see. He took a deep breath and got up. She didn’t reply to his shouting and for a second this voice in his head said ‘she is dead’ but he shook his head. He couldn’t believe it yet. He couldn’t believe Kevva would take her back already. Looking around him he knew he would lose track of this place if he went for a rope. Plus the sun would go down soon and darkness would swallow the place for many hours. He didn’t know if you were just unconscious or if you were dead or perhaps lost. All he knew was that hours count in such situations. Taking off his backpack he searched for something that wasn’t necessary but easy to see and find back. He grabbed the soil measurer and placed it firmly in the ground next to the hole. Pressing on ‘enter’ it lightened up. With a pale face he stared at where she disappeared before running back toward the pod.

She grimaced moving slightly after noticing her legs started to sleep. Her hand, covered in her own blood, pressed tight against the wound. She caressed it, trying to figure out what exactly her wound was. She felt like her head would explode with the growing headache. It felt like a million nails were pushed in her head. It was a cut, a deep cut and she guessed a pointy rock must have stabbed her while she fell down this hole. Worse of all she felt colder, the warm clothes she wore didn’t protect her from this new cold embracing her. She knew she was pale, looking ill, she was losing too much blood in a short time. Pressing her hand against the wound didn’t seem to do much. She heard his voice, the way he shouted her name. Worry and panic audible in his voice. She wanted to shout back but the words didn’t roll off her tongue. She lost her voice in this pain.

He rushed into the pod, throwing everything aside that wasn’t important for this matter. Ezra grabbed his rope violently fast, that was waiting in its box for weeks, and placed it in his backpack. He noticed his fingers, his hands were trembling. His whole body trembled in fear of losing her. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the medical box waiting neatly in the corner. Snatching it from its place he hurried back to where you fell. The sun was almost down and the sunset was gorgeous. Bathing the world in thousand colors and coloring leaves in gold. Ezra looked up at the sky, massaging his forehead. Inhaling as much air as possible he tried to calm himself, to prepare himself for this difficult task that awaited him. The hole seemed darker in this light, like it was a gaping mouth of death. Ezra didn’t like that kind of darkness. He knew what kind of hole she could have fallen in. The hidden caves the legends talk about. He knew too well the end of most legends. People never returned after they said they would look for the caves. And while he was wise enough to never want to do such a stupid thing, he would never leave someone behind who fell in such a cave by accident. Even if they could be dead already. He placed the soil measurer back into his backpack and looked into the hole. He shouted your name again, waiting silently for a reply. Disappointed he looked up at the sky, “Kevva please let her be alive. I need her.”   
He swore he heard ragged breathing. As if she was still there. With a hopeful smile he thanked kevva for the answer and started working on tying the rope together. 

With the rope tied to a nearby rock he made sure all his tools were stuck to himself. He held the flashlight in his mouth and walked backwards into the hole, all the while holding on the rope for his dear life. He felt the intense darkness surrounding himself as he lowered himself. It was cold, too strong. Darkness that has never known light in eternity. With his teeth he held the flashlight and he moved his head to see what was around him. No her yet and he furrowed his eyebrows in worry. Feeling soil under his feet he placed his feet firmly on the ground before standing tall. He grabbed the flashlight to look around. He noticed his breath was ragged too.   
“y/n!” He shouted at her when his flashlight lightened her voice. She opened her eyes weakly at him. A smile tugged at her mouth as she saw it was Ezra again.   
“Ezra.” She said. Her voice was low because of her dried mouth and throat.   
He rushed to sit with her.   
“You are bleeding! Kevva, you need help.” Ezra immediately opened his backpack to grab the medkit.  
“Ezra.”  
“Stop talking. I will fix this. I have to.” He started rambling about solutions. About saving her.   
“Ezra stop. What if it is too late? I don’t feel my legs.”   
He looked up at her, his face pale with dark circles underneath his eyes. His voice cracked at her words. “It can’t be too late. It shouldn’t be.”   
She closed her eyes. A comforted expression painted her face.   
“I didn’t know I was that important. What did they say about harvesters? You need more friends, Ezra.”   
“No, don’t you dare give up. You are my friend.”  
She raised her brows. “Like dogs.”  
“Why must you compare every possible relationship in this entire universe to animals.” He cried.  
“Because animals are honest. And at this moment I feel like being honest,” She grabbed his hand, even though it was a weak gesture, “I think your hair is funny.” A short laugh escaped from her. She closed her eyelids.  
“No, don’t close your eyes. Don’t.” He gripped her shoulders and shook her. “Please don’t.” He cried harder. With no reply he quickly unpacked the medkit and searched for anything that could save her. There was no time left. It was now or never.

“Ezra?”  
“Don’t move.”  
“Where are you?” Opening her eyes she saw nothing. Panic reached her.  
“Don’t move.” He repeated. Demand audible in his voice. He put on the flashlight. Her eyes glanced toward it, he shone it on a nearby rock in the wet soil. It flashed back with a shiny detail.  
“Gems.” She whispered.  
“Yes.” He answered. “How are you feeling?”  
“Like the world crashed down upon me. And my throat is itchy.”   
She couldn’t see the movement but heard him shuffling through his backpack. Then silence. She waited until he made sound again. Then she heard his breath closer and he tapped on her face. “Open up.”  
Opening her mouth she felt the bottle against her lips. He helped her drink the cold water.   
“Thank you.” She closed her eyelids, it burned against her eyeballs. Everything burned. Then she suddenly remembered the wound and reached for it. Bandage covered it, a lot of bandage.  
“I thought I would die.”  
“Me too Birdie, I had prepared myself for the possibility I would have to return alone.” His voice cracked with sadness.  
“Fortunately I am stuck with a good harvester who knows how to save people.” She grinned at him.  
“As far as I am concerned I do not have a medical diploma. It was luck.”  
His tongue clicked when he said ‘luck’ and she realized he meant it. For him, for her, it was for both of them luck. Kevva helped them she briefly considered. It must be. No man could have that much luck without consequences.  
“And now?”  
“We wait.”   
She disapproved of the silence. It wasn’t intentional. She knew of that, but it made clear that there were still great problems awaiting them. For one: she couldn’t walk with such a wound. For two: it was darker than anything she ever encountered. For three: this was possible the kind of cave people warn each other for, caves without a way out.

She sighed deeply. Trying to sit straight a pain shot through her and she grunted aloud.   
“Birdie.” He shuffled closer. His hands reached her back to push her up. “I told you to not move.”  
“I may be a humble student with lack of experience. But even a child knows we won’t survive if we stay here like this. We gotta move.” She pressed her lips shut, holding back the pained cries she wanted to release. It hurt, her stomach hurt from the wound. Whatever Ezra did to save her was not enough for much longer.  
“The wall is too slippery to climb.” He states. “Everything slips through my fingers.”  
She punched him. “Don’t you dare say that ever again! Help me up.”  
Getting up slowly she put her weight on his arms. Entirely dependent on him. He helped her against a wall and grabbed his things. There was a silence agreement to just start walking deeper into this cave. The one optimistic part of this was that it wasn’t leading them in more darkness. And perhaps, if they walked far enough, they would find another path leading them to the surface. It was that or death.  
“So- he started, while helping her stepping over the rocks, “my hair is funny?”  
She couldn’t help burst out in laughter, her stomach started hurting and she cried as she laughed.   
“I almost died and you wonder if your hair is actually funny.”  
“Hmm birdie. I must remind you of your words. You said you would be honest like animals are. And then you continued saying my hair is funny.” His smile crooked into a cheeky grin despite the current situation.  
“Well, it is the white tuft. You are like a retired space rockstar.”  
He snorted. “I am not old.”  
“Perhaps, but you must approve of the space rockstar title.”  
“You are an interesting partner, unlike any of my previous encounters.”  
“That’s because I taunt you. We are more alike than you can admit and I know it.” She gripped his arm tighter and not just because she needed the support. It was her way of showing him love.


	5. mångata

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They wander around in the tunnels of the cave and find a miracle

“Watch out birdie.” He warned her as he guided her over a few rocks. She smiled, realizing that was what he said not even a day before. Now they were here in a cave, possibly doomed to die here.  
“I am careful.” She said as she steadied herself and held onto his arm. Her stomach hurt as she jumped over a rock. She placed her hand on her stomach, as if to support it. It wouldn’t help of course but somehow the warmth of her hand against her stomach made her feel better. The same happened when he just held her against his body moments ago when they rested after wandering for over an hour in this cave. He rested his chin on her head while his arms were securely wrapped around her waist. She slept a little before Ezra woke her up to go further. 

“How much longer do we have?” She asked while looking at the flashlight he was holding. It flickered a few times, a warning that the battery was going to die soon.   
“The possibilities are endless. It could be ten minutes. Could also be ten hours.” His expression was sad as he tapped on it. His hand squeezed hers as they passed a few sharper rocks. The color of the rocks seeming to be darker than night. The aurelacs hiding in the rocks shone whenever Ezra pointed the flashlight on the rocks.   
“Now if the circumstances were exceptional we could have been harvesting here.” He voiced, turning to look at them.  
“We could go back.” She joked.  
“Absolutely not, this place is terrifying.” He laughed.   
“I know.”

Walking through the tunnels in the cave they both realized after a while that something was changing among them. Turning toward Ezra she looked at his tired face, the bags underneath his eyes and his scrapped lips. Then she finally realized what was different in the tunnels.  
“Ezra?”  
“Yes?” His hand gripped hers, supporting her.  
“I can see you.”

He snapped his face toward her in shock. With big eyes he looked at her, realizing what she said was true. He didn’t notice it at all. Looking around him he finally noticed the cave was indeed less dark, he could see the features of the tunnel and the aurelacs without having to point at them with his flashlight.  
“There must be an opening nearby.” He said, stating it as a newly found fact.  
She bubbled beside him excitedly, hoping it meant she could get medical treatment soon enough. Wandering around in a tunnel with a big wound isn’t quite healthy for a human.

Gripping her hand tighter he started moving faster. They still used the flashlight for seeing where to walk but it was now less difficult to manoeuvre in between the rocks. That was until they both realized it got darker again.  
“Ezra, I think there is no opening nearby.” She said, dropping her head in sadness.   
“No, it can’t be birdie. We must have missed it.”  
She heard the concern in his voice and worriedly looked around her. He was right. There couldn’t be more light available without a source of light.   
“Can we rest again?” She knew asking this of him would worry him even more but the pain in her stomach started to be unbearable again.  
“Yes,” he looked down at her body. His hand reached for her stomach, touching the bandage to check if it was still securely wrapped around her body, “it is still secure.”  
“I am fine Ezra. It just hurts a bit again.”

They walked further until they found a new spot with flat rocks. Ezra sat down to have her rest against his torso again. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her from behind. “Rest, I have got you.”   
She closed her eyelids, feeling the heavy weight of them. She knew with the minute it would tire her more to wander around in the tunnels underneath the earth. If only they could find the opening. She heard Ezra muttering curses about the flashlight. That it wouldn’t switch on anymore. She knew it meant their light source was off and that the change of getting out of here was smaller now. She fell asleep, worries would wash over her later, she thought.

A hand raked through her hair as a voice whispered to her to wake up. She mumbled, moving slightly in his hold. The other hand caressed her stomach and she opened her eyes to see nothing yet. Ezra whispered a “Thank Kevva”, looking up while caressing her stomach with careful touches.  
“What’s wrong?” She mumbled. Willing to fall asleep again with the intense need for rest. Her head was dizzy.  
“You should see for yourself, gem.”  
He never called her gem before and she wanted to ask him what was the matter. His voice sounded hoarse, dry but she sensed enthusiasm and wonderment in his voice.  
“Ezra.” She said again as she sat up. Forcing herself to open her eyes fully. Then she blinked at the situation before her.  
“What is that?”  
“I must unfortunately admit I have no impression of the meaning of this altogether. It is completely unknown to me.”  
“It is beautiful.”

Before them a string of light danced over the rocks. Small yellow starlike orbs bouncing through the air. Their light flickered in the tunnel, illuminating the features of the tunnels. And even more wondrous was the assumption they lived. Small noises audible in the tunnel, laughter, joyish giggles. She giggled hearing the noises.  
“What if this is the real mångata, Ezra? What if those who did survive the cave lied?”  
“An attempt to cover the true meaning of the legends. A miracle so memorable one must lie to protect these...” he stopped, smiling, “creatures?”  
She smiled, resting against his chest.   
“We could follow them?” He suggested. A smile hugged his face.  
“Yeah,” she answered, realizing her pain didn’t falter or leave. It got in fact worse and she grimaced at the thought of having to walk, “we could if the pain goes away soon.”  
He sighed realizing what she said. “I will stay with you.”  
“Ezra, no.” She moved to look him directly in the eye. The position hurting her briefly. “You should follow them. They could guide you outside. You could live your life.” She cupped his face and caressed his cheeks. His skin was dirty underneath her hands.  
“You can’t force me. I stay with you. There is no worse place to die than having to face death alone. I stay with you and if they are still there once you join Kevva, I will follow them and live my life for you.”  
She sobbed, nestling her face in his chest. She didn’t want this to happen but the time spent here forced her to accept the truth. She got weaker and would die soon if treatment wasn’t available soon.   
“Close your eyes gem. It is time to really rest.” He pressed her against him and held her tight. He wanted to cry but forced back those tears, watching her sob until she fell asleep again. Her face looked peaceful against his rising chest. He touched her cheeks, whispering her words of praises.

Looking at the stream of the orbs he smiled at them. The noises coming from the orbs filled the space and he enjoyed their sounds. It felt like he wasn’t alone with her. He wondered briefly what species they were or if those orbs even were species, and how they could survive in this cave. The stream of orbs thickened and it seemed to him like more light started to appear in the tunnel. Squinting his eyes he tried to see what else was following the stream. He gasped when one of those orbs stepped out of it, slowly walking toward him. He shook his head, thinking he was daydreaming this occurrence. However, it wasn’t. The small creature, an orb with legs and arms, actually walked toward him. It made small noises he couldn’t comprehend and he stared at the creature in awe. It looked like a star in his opinion. A living star. The small creature raised its arms and started to shake itself, almost dancing. Ezra laughed while tears rolled over his cheeks, not sure how to react. While it shook itself tiny orbs fell from it, dancing in the air around it. It waved at Ezra and walked back toward the stream. He wasn’t sure if he should have waved back, instead he stared at the tiny orbs remaining before him. They are dancing in the air. 

The tiny orbs got closer and he worriedly looked at them. She was still sleeping in his arms and he could feel her breathing against him. She was still alive, not conscious anymore, but still alive. The tiny orbs hovered above her and he waved them away to protect her.  
“Please, leave her alone.” He cried. He was afraid they would hurt her.   
But waving them away didn’t help, they flew through his movements and got closer to her. A few already attached themselves to her bandage and he desperately tried to push them away.  
“Please.” He whispered, desperate. Noticing it wouldn’t help he gave up. Putting his arms around her waist he watched more of them attaching themselves to the bandage around her torso. Tears fell down his cheeks as he pleaded for survival. He could save her the first time. Why not the second time?  
Due to the amount of orbs attaching to the bandage around her stomach the bandage started to shine and he had to close his eyes because it blinded him. The bandage then started to tear apart and he tried to keep it closed. “No” he protested, hoping they would hear him. Their noises filled his ears. He didn’t know why the noises were getting louder. He didn’t know anything. He wanted to put his hands on his ears to protect them against the noises but he couldn’t stop holding her. 

Then he noticed that her skin started glowing as well. A yellow color spreading through her skin. He stopped with sobbing to watch their movements. One of the orbs started to leave her, flying back toward the stream. Then another, and another, until all of them left them.  
“Wait,” he shouted, “what did you do?”  
He looked down at her figure. Her breathing was more apparent, audible. He put his hand on her chest to feel it rise and lower in a good rhythm.  
“What did you do?” He whispered to no one.  
With his other hand he touched the broken bandage. Slowly lifting the bandage he took a look at the wound. It was still open but small golden strings attached the wound together. They slowly closed it, contracting the skin together and closing the wound. He gaped at it, carefully touching the wound with his fingers. Her skin was warm against his fingertips and it tingled. He looked back at her face. She made a mumbling noise while her eyes were still closed.   
“Gem? Birdie? Are you there?” He touched her face with his hands, cupping her cheeks.  
Ezra started crying, “You are really still alive, my gem, my love.”  
Leaning forward he placed a kiss on her forehead, waiting until she would open her eyes eventually. 

“Why are you crying?” Opening her eyes she noticed Ezra was crying in her chest. He caged her in his hold. She was still in his lap.  
“You are awake,” he looked up, his eyes red and puffy, “I thought you died already.”  
She huffed, placing her hand on the back of his head. She touched the hairs there. “I am not dead yet. And the pain is gone I think,” she looked up at him with a confused expression, “I don’t understand.”  
Caging her in a stronger hold he looked her in the eyes. His weight and touch comforted her in this darkness. And she snuggled in his hold.  
“One of those things… I think they treated your wound.” He whispered. His voice was hoarse from all the crying.  
“Those orbs?” She looked to her right. The stream of small orbs dancing through the tunnel amused her. It was still there and the tunnel looked less intimidating because of them.  
“They are alive?”  
“Exceptional creatures I must say,” he chuckled this time, “I was worried when one got closer to us.”  
“I wish I saw it.” She admitted.   
“You can see it.” He moved his hand to her stomach to lift the hem of her shirt, revealing the skin where her wound once had been. Looking down she noticed the golden strings over her skin, scars.  
“They sewed my skin?”  
“I suppose they did.” He touched her skin there and she felt goosebumps from the touch. His hand was warm against her skin and she looked up at him, noticing his cheeks were sticky from his tears. She placed her right hand on his cheek and caressed it. His eyes shot back to hers and he smiled, leaning his head against her hand. She watched him close his eyes as he enjoyed her hand on his cheek and without thinking she moved closer. Kissing him on his lips with hesitance. Realizing what she did she quickly moved away from him, immediately apologizing. He chuckled and grabbed her by her neck to pull her back for another kiss. He moaned against her lips and with a sigh she opened up for him, relaxing in his hold. 

They stayed like this for a while. Finally giving in their desire to touch each other. She sat in his lap and touched his face, caressing his sticky cheeks while kissing him. His hands roamed her sides, pulling at the skin there while being careful to not hurt her there. He was still hesitant, worried that she perhaps would get sick again or that her wound would tear open. However the golden strings seemed to lose their glow, appearing to be a permanent scar for life.  
“What are you looking at?”  
“I am wondering if I ever will reminisce about how those scars got there someday.” He said as he stroked the skin there on her stomach.   
She sighed from his touch.   
“We first need to get out of here.”   
She kissed him again, giggling as his moustache tickled her. Then she slowly climbed out of his lap to get up. Her legs were wobbly and dizziness spread through her. Ezra quickly moved to catch her, helping her to stabilize on her legs.  
“Careful, you are still weak.”  
“I am fine.” She protested, still wobbly on her feet.   
He got up as well and put his backpack on. He reached for one of her hands, wanting to hold her as they retrieved their mission to get out the cave.

Following the stream of orbs Ezra started to hum a song. His voice audibly happier than before and she smiled, squeezing his hands. She kept looking down at the stream on her left, staring at the orbs dancing through the tunnel. She couldn’t believe one of those saved her life. She truly wished she could have seen it. Alas, hearing it from Ezra was just as satisfying and she was grateful for their kindness. They walked further through the tunnels of the cave and while there was no end in sight she knew it would go well.


	6. mångata

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They find an opening in the cave and get back to their pod.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This is technically the last chapter. However, I am writing one more chapter. A chapter that reveals what happens after she goes back to school.

“What will we do once we are out of here?” She asked curiously. She still touched her stomach every so often to check if it wasn’t a dream. Whenever Ezra looked at the stream of orbs she wondered if she didn’t just pass out and dreamed all of this. Except, her brain would never come up with such a ridiculous and magical occurrence.   
“Use the health scanner on you, birdie. We do not want to expect surprises in the next few days. Golden strings.” He chuckled, he was still perplexed.  
“I once read that gold is bad for human bodies. It is toxic.” She whispered while she hopped over a rock.  
Ezra watched her with awe. Her energy had returned and it was visible in how she snapped back those smart replies and walked in front of him. He couldn’t possibly believe she would love him for his... everything.  
“It is toxic, yes. However, we do not know much about the effects of it. How it affects our lustiness or our eupepsia for example. In fact it is barely known how it affects the entire anatomy.”  
“Those creatures wouldn’t heal me to just let me die from poison, right?”  
“I don’t know, birdie. It haunts me as much as it haunts you.”  
His short reply to her question worried her. Yes, she was full of energy and could walk without pain. However, it left them both with questions about life. What did it mean for the planet that there was a whole species hidden underneath the soil? And how did their presence affect humans or animals? Are they harmless? Kind? Or do they have an agenda? Questions they knew there wasn’t an answer for. Unless they would return and do research. Unless they would speak the truth. And if the species is kind, they would harm them which they didn’t want. It hurt her to have so many questions run through her mind. She couldn’t shake them off as they were still stuck in here, in this cave. The stream of orbs was still the only source of light. 

Wandering through the cave for a few more hours without an end in sight they held each other's hand quietly. Ezra’s hand was warm and calloused and he squeezed her hand regularly. She could feel her heart aching for him. She didn’t expect it to happen. The first day she met him in that shitty bar. The way he looked at her when he caught her drawing him. Her heart beat so fast she was terrified he would hear her heart. And the second time when he told her he wrote about her in his journals, she almost kissed him right there and then. She could swear there was tension in the air. Something they both didn’t acknowledge at the time but now they would. She wondered if he thought the same.

Not looking at her surroundings she barely noticed Ezra whispered something. He squeezed her hand once, twice and then shook her to wake her from her thoughts.  
“What is it? Ezra.” She sighed.  
“Light.” He only said. His eyes big from wonderment.  
“Light?” She asked right before she caught what he saw. A small stream of light from above them. The hole was tiny, very tiny but sunlight seeped through it and bathed this part of the tunnel in sunlight.

Walking around the circle of sunlight Ezra inspected the hole. He squinted his eyes and bit his lip. She stared at him. Not sure what to expect. It wasn’t like they could climb out of there. It was too small for their bodies and secondly, they would never be able to reach it.  
“Do you hear it?” Ezra suddenly asked. Joy audible in his voice. His mouth curved into a wicked smile. One that made her shudder in excitement.  
“I don’t know what you are talking about?”  
“The sea.” He practically yelled. Turning to her he grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her almost violently.  
“We are very close to the sea which could perhaps mean that we will encounter a cave opening at the seaside.”  
Her eyes wide, she looked at him. Still processing what he was saying she realized it meant they would have to swim to the surface. Or would there be a beach?  
“Is there a beach? Does Mångata have beaches?”  
“No my love,” he looked up at the hole, “I expect it to be not as frightening as it may sound to you.”  
“I am not scared.” She protested.   
He smiled at her expectantly. Throwing his hands up as if to defend himself.  
“Then you don’t mind walking forward? A bird knows its road.”  
“You are a menace, Ezra.” She smirked and turned to walk further into the tunnel. 

The stream of orbs seemed to thicken in this tunnel and they both frowned upon this change of their behavior.  
“Are they excited?” She asked, noticing their noises were a pitch higher.  
“Their noises are different now which could pinpoint new circumstances. I would really not know what to say.” He moved forward to grab her hand again. 

The tunnel narrowed and they had to keep distance for space to move. The tiny orbs danced around them and their noises and light were too much for their senses. It stayed like this for a while and while they both put their hands on their ears to protect themselves from the noises, it seemed the orbs started to calm down with their enthusiasm. The tunnel became less narrowed and she squinted her eyes to see better.

“It is the cave opening.” She yelled at Ezra behind her. He yelled back that he couldn’t hear her but once they both got out of the narrowed tunnel it was quiet. The orbs disappeared between the rocks and they both stared at what was before them in awe.   
“It is exquisite. Enthralling even.” His voice pitches higher. A glint in his eyes from happiness. She struggled to watch both what was happening and Ezra’s reaction.  
“I can’t believe we are seeing this.” She spoke up. 

They both had a hard time looking at one thing. Everything was tingling their senses, new and spectaculair. The orbs disappearing between the rocks were accompanied by other different kinds of orbs. There didn’t exist only golden orbs but orbs of every color possible. Like rainbows they danced over the rocks. And even more astonishing were the plants living between the rocks. Species she didn’t recognize from her classes and she never heard of plant species that could give light like that. Yes, there exist plants that could light up at night but this was far more spectacular. Magical even!  
“Have you ever encountered such a wonder before?”  
“Gem, I am-” This was the first time Ezra wasn’t able to express his thoughts and she giggled realizing it.  
“And there is the opening!” She cried then. Lunging forward she grabbed Ezra’s hand to run toward the opening. The breeze of the sea welcoming her and the warmth of the sun tickled her skin. She heard Ezra inhale as much air as possible. His chest heaving as he took deep breaths. His frowns from earlier disappeared and a gentle smile of contentment appeared on his face. She looked at him with awe. For the first time she dared to look at him longer while knowing he looked back. His smile grew and a dimple appeared. She noticed that the white tuft contrasted with the dark curls in this light. She bit her lip, feeling the urge to kiss him again. Taking a step closer to be right in front of him she smiled at him and placed her arms around his neck. Closing in the distance between them she kissed him slowly. Taking the time to experience it. His lips were soft despite the chapped parts, he had bitten them from stress. When she pulled away he pushed her against his chest, snaking his arms around her waist. He smiled against her lips, kissing her back.   
She giggled again, enjoying the touches.  
“Ezraa.”  
“I love you.”  
She stopped giggling to look up at him in shock.  
“Gem-” he started but she interrupted him with a new kiss.  
“I love you too, Ezra.”

In the pod they decided to immediately sleep in one cod together. They swam to land. The distance between the cave opening and land was almost unbearable. Their teeth chattered because of the cold water and they had a hard time moving fast in the water. Then the climb toward the safe part was difficult. The wet clothes were heavy on their limbs. With cold fingers they held onto rocks and pushed themselves up toward the end. It was natural for them to rip off those clothes and crawl underneath the sheets to sleep together. It was comfortable after all those hours of walking to be able to sleep in a soft bed. Their muscles were sore and they were dirty and cold. 

“Go sleep.” He demanded, watching her snuggle into his chest. Her movements distracted him from falling asleep.  
“I just- she placed her leg over his hip, - love your warmth.” She smiled against him. With her right hand she carefully traced his skin, losing herself in the warmth that embraced them both. They both fell asleep soon. 

“I think we need to keep it a secret.” She confessed, looking up at him.  
They both woke up hours ago. It was early, the sun wouldn’t appear for a few more hours and they hadn’t moved out of bed except for toilet visits and grabbing food.  
“You look ravishing.” He commented instead. Smirking as he noticed she hid her face behind her hands at his comment, heat flooded to her cheeks.  
“I am serious.” She replied, giggling in embarrassment.  
Pushing himself up he cupped her cheeks. Looking into her eyes he told her he knows it and that he would keep it a secret. The mystery of mångata had to stay that way. It was better for theirs and the small creatures’s safety. He moved forward to place a kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes at his touch and smiled.   
“Let us linger around here longer and continue our activities for the day,” Ezra suggested, placing more kisses where he could reach. She giggled again and pushed him away.   
“We are not even doing anything useful today.”  
“Nevertheless, we deserve the peace.”

The next few months they continued their jobs. Ezra as a harvester started teaching her about the aurulecs and the harvesting techniques. He also taught her about other creatures and plants residing on this planet. Those known so far. They stole glances every once in a while knowing there was an entire ecosystem underneath them. They never once mentioned it to other visitors of the planet. She finished her scriptie soon and her sketchbook was full of drawings of the planet and playful sketches of Ezra. She copied some of them for Ezra to keep. The longer they stayed together the more they realized they would have to part someday. Every night they slept together in one cod. Their limbs entangled, sleeping while holding each other. Some days she sat in his lap while he read her a book or told her a story and some days she told him to sit still while trying to draw a professional portrait of him. Those moments were sacred to them and they both tried to keep the memories close to them. 

Her chest rose rapidly at the view before her. She looked at the planet where they resided for several months. It grew smaller as the spaceship slowly flew away. She felt heartbreak knowing she might never come see mångata again or that she might never see Ezra back. He was sitting next to her with a concentrated expression. He tried to fix a tool that was broken since their adventure in the cave. She looked at him as if she would draw him. Concentrated on the details of his features. She wanted to be able to recall each one of his features, his expressions and his words. She loved him for who he is and would be. At least she had many sketches of him, she reminded herself. They would be a huge part in her next years of school.   
“Gem?” His voice was low and gentle, “are you all right?”  
“I don’t know. I think I will miss you.” She looked up to where he sat and started sobbing.  
Putting down his tool he rushed over to her to embrace her in a tight hug. With his thumb he wiped those tears away and then he pulled her into a hug, keeping her close. He could feel her arms around his waist, pulling him even closer. Placing his chin on her head he looked at the window. Mångata was already out of sight. There was only darkness in view, a few small stars visible if he squinted his eyes at them. He loved the planet for its adventures, its mysteries and for giving him a chance of love. He loved her. Already when he saw her sitting in that small dirty bar he knew it was her. Especially knowing that she loved drawing him excited him. No one before wanted so badly to capture him in a picture. He knew she was special and he didn’t want to lose her. However, this wasn’t lost yet. They just had to survive a few years without each other. They could do it, he knew it in his heart. He just needed to convince her to keep up with school and to wait for him. He would wait for her, that was the truth.

The repeating noises of the ship calmed them both down as it was a soft reminder they were safe in this room. Ezra asked her to come sit on his lap in this bed they got. It was bigger and softer than those cods they used for months. There was enough space for them to sleep without touching each other, which they didn’t. She snuggled into his chest with her hands placed on his shoulders. Her snoring made him smile bright as he loved watching and hearing her sleep. He tried to read one of his books but his thoughts distracted him so much he put it down. He stared at the wall until his eyelids felt heavy and he fell asleep as well. 

“Promise me.”   
Her cheeks were sticky from crying and she tried to keep control over her emotions. She wanted to cry again knowing this moment was the last moment until perhaps years later. He of course could visit her in the vacations, however his jobs could prevent those opportunities. Truth was, they didn’t know when they would see each other again.  
He cupped her face and leant forward to place a kiss on her forehead. One that was supposed to be of truth, faith and promises. She closed her eyes to remember all those times he placed a kiss there or elsewhere. His hands felt warm against her cheeks and she placed her hands over his, leaning into his touch.   
Slowly moving away he looked at her again and mouthed an “I promise”. His eyes looked glassy, as if he was ready to cry as well and just held in all his emotions.   
“I am finished in three years.” She told him again.  
“I will be there.”


	7. last chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter! It took me some time to want to write it because first: I didn't want it to end and second: I didn't know how to end it. I am happy with it and thank you all for reading this story <3

It looked empty. Her room looked empty. The walls once full of pictures, sketches and posters were now empty and ugly without them. The window frame was empty and ready to be filled with new flower pots by the next student. Her bed now without her sheets and pillows. She noticed her desk was gone and replaced with a new version. One that had wheels? She wondered about the practicality of it. Her closet was empty too. She packed all her clothes in one of her bags. She only had three bags of properties.

Her friend placed his hand on her shoulder and whispered that they should go. They would eat one more meal in the nearby restaurant on this campus and then they would both leave for good. Her friend, Max, planned to work as an advisor for a company. One that wasn’t good for the environment but it paid well and thus he accepted. She knew why. Life out there was already hard. However, she couldn’t look past one’s intentions and said no to them. She promised Max to keep contact. He wished her good luck on finding Ezra. 

She told him about Ezra. They met each other in the second year in the local library. He dropped all his books tripping over a threshold. She caught those books on time and they laughed about his accident. It was cute and a part of her once thought about the possibilities. That it could have been romantic if they started dating. However, her heart truly belonged to Ezra. She couldn’t stop thinking about him, worrying for his safety out there. And Max was a friend. He loved her as a sister and teased her everyday about her sketches of Ezra. In return she teased him everytime he blushed when a pretty guy greeted him. Their friendship was perfect and survived through the years of hard work at the university. She hoped they would stay friends for much longer. 

After she finished her last meal at this place she hugged Max for the last time, and watched him leave the campus with his bags and a bright smile. She almost wanted to cry but held in her tears. Instead she ordered another coffee and grabbed a very old sketchbook. The cover was dirty and almost broke off. Some of the pages threatened to fall out. She smiled fondly at it. It was all she had of that lovely time in her life. The time she thought she met the love of her life. Opening it she noticed the papers creaked underneath her touch. The first drawing of him was most unpleasant to look at yet so important to her. She drew him entirely wrong. His nose was wrongly crooked and she missed the glint in his eyes. Browsing through the pages she reminisced in her memories of him. The drawings of him improved over the days. They were proof of her improving skills. At school she made a lot of sketches for projects, and her classmates were happy with her skills. 

Where is he now? She wondered. He never visited during the vacations. It could have been bad luck. Perhaps he had a job everytime she had a vacation. They only had three vacations a year. However, it felt strange to her. What if he decided it was better to not meet each other again? His number stopped working and the university couldn’t provide her with new information. It was as if he was entirely gone. A part of her was scared he had died in the following months. An accident or murder. Life as a harvester was dangerous at times, she knew that. 

Putting the sketchbook back in her bag she left the restaurant. She would miss the campus and its wondrous places. It was her home for years. It was her only home in fact. Moving to a small apartment in the harbor wasn’t exciting to her. Unfortunately, it was the only place with affordable apartments. She had to look for a place to work, a job with a good pay. It was small, barely any furniture and the walls looked depressing. The view through the window provided entertainment though. She could look at harvesters and investors walking around after boarding off the ships. 

A month later when she was sketching the view with a coffee mug next to her, the phone startled her entirely. Dropping the mug over the drawing she scrambled to fix it while picking up the phone. She mumbled a greeting while apologizing to the sketchbook, ruining it completely. She hated when people ruined books and felt horrible for her mistake. Dropping quiet she listened to the voice on the other side of the phone. They told her to wait until it was connected with the person on the other side. What could they want possibly? Waiting while wiping the papers clean she heard a click until a familiar voice sounded. She dropped the phone, it clattered on the floor. Staring at the sight before her, every memory replayed in her mind. Their first meeting in the bar. The moment their hands brushed slightly when he told her about his journal. The accident that led to their discovery of a beautiful world. Their parting and their promises to each other. 

With trembling fingers she bowed to pick up the phone. He sounded distressed. Asking if the line was broken or if something bad happened. She smiled hearing his voice again. She missed his voice. Collecting herself she coughed and put the phone back against her ear again.  
“Is that really you?” She asked, hoping it wasn’t a dream of her. She dreamed of him a lot. Some of them were realistic, romantic and some of them scary, like a nightmare.

His chuckle was a relief to hear. “Yes gem, it’s me.”  
She sat down, pushing her now empty mug aside. “Where are you?”  
“At your school actually,” he groaned, “I wanted to visit you on your last day. Make it up for never being able to visit you before.”  
“I finished a month ago.” She proudly announced.  
“Yeah, they told me. You have your diploma?”  
“Yes Ezra, I did it.”  
“I am proud of you.”

She heard him crying.  
“Ezra? What’s wrong?”  
“I have missed all of it.” He whispered.  
“Oh Ezra, I will tell you all about it. Are you still at school?”  
He sniffed. “Yes, in the restaurant. The owner is very kind. She offered me cups of excellent tea. I have brought your favorite flowers with me.”  
“Yes, she is very kind. I will be there in an hour or so.” She rushed to grab her coat while telling him “see you soon”.

Walking over the campus terrain again she felt light in her heart. This was her home but it felt all so small now it was over. Just a small part of her life. And now she would see someone again who could be her future. It was scary and she felt her body tense with excitement and fear. What would he be like now? What did he do in those years? Did he meet someone else? At least he isn’t dead, she reminded herself.

Arriving at the small restaurants where she ate so many times with Max she was suddenly scared to get inside. Peeking through the windows she noticed it was quiet. Most people had classes now, it was mid-afternoon. She didn’t see him sitting anywhere. Fixing her hair and checking her make-up she took a deep breath and opened the door. She was immediately greeted by the owner of the restaurant who asked her if she wanted her regular order. She said yes while looking around her. She gasped as she saw him sitting in the farthest corner. He was reading a book with his back half toward her. She didn’t move yet or called out his name, instead she watched him. The book was old, and she recognized it was the journal he used back then. His hair was still wild and if she stood on her toes she could see the white tuft on the other side. He wore a suit. Something entirely different from the clothes he wore back then. A harvesting suit or comfortable sweaters and sweatpants. This suit was beautiful, night sky navy blue and shiny in this light. It looked new and expensive. 

As the owner approached her with a cup of hot chocolate and told her she would bring the apple pie to the table, she knew she had to go to him now. Slowly approaching him she heard him humming a song. On the table before him was put the bouquet of flowers in a small vase. She smiled knowing the owner must have insisted on using the vase.

“Ezra?” She stood next to him now. 

He turned to look up at her. A smile hugged his face, the dimple appeared and he put his journal down.

“Gem.” Was all he said before getting up and hugging her tight with one arm. As she hugged him she snuggled in his chest. His embrace was comfortable. He smelled good and his voice was low, rough while he murmured out many words of praise, happiness. Pushing him backwards she cupped his cheeks and leant forward to kiss him. It was despereate, she knew that, but she missed him so much and she wanted to kiss him so badly. She hummed against his lips in contentment.

“I love you Ezra.”  
He chuckled despite the tears that rolled over his cheeks. She wiped them away with her thumb.  
“I love you too, gem.”

She took him home after being in the restaurant for hours. She told him about her school. How she met Max and how she did her grades. He smiled proudly at her while he sipped from his tea. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from his suit, his smile, his everything. He looked so handsome and she missed him so much. And he told her his story. That his right arm is replaced with a mechanical one. She noticed the slight difference when she hugged him but didn’t notice his arm was entirely replaced. He told her about his meeting with Cee in the Green. After they parted he left for a job in the Green and was stuck there a full year before he met the girl. He smiled sometimes throughout the story. She was relieved to know it ended well for him and gasped learning the girl had to cut his arm. He was Cee’s father now, on both paper and in life. That was why he couldn’t visit her those years. He had to relearn his basic movements and had to take shitty jobs to afford a school for Cee. The girl was now at school, safe and ready for a bright future. He promised her to introduce her to Cee someday. 

Her home was small and she looked at Ezra who inspected the space. He frowned, looking down at the ruined sketchbook.  
“Your call startled me, I accidentally bumped the coffeemug with my elbow.”  
He grinned, “Am I that scary?”  
“Oh yeah, you are petrifying.”

He placed the sketchbook on a different surface and approached the window.  
“Did you do this on purpose?”  
“What?”  
“Renting a room with a view on those boarding the ships?” He smirked looking back at her.  
She laughed: “No, it was the only apartment I could afford.”  
“A shame, really.”

They put down his bags in her bedroom and made dinner together. It was different, new, but very good. He suggested a dish with pasta and vegetables and she enjoyed his voice while cooking. His endless chatter filled the space and her ears and she wondered how she could live all those years without him around. At night, while the stars filled the sky, they looked at the ceilling together. The moon glowed and lit the room. She could see Ezra’s features in bed. He told her about the Green and its terrifying tales. 

“Ezra?”  
“What is it? Gem.”  
“Please take me away from this,” she gestured at the space around her, “ all this.”  
“My beautiful woman, do you have any idea how dangerous my life can be?” He waved with his mechanical arm. They laughed.  
“I would endure another accident again if it means I can stay with you.” She said.

He softened at her words. Remembering his fear of losing her there. He didn’t want to endure another nightmare again.

“You are too romantic. You know that right?”  
“Remember when I told you about the swans? I can’t part from you again,” She cried, “It would destroy me.”  
His heart broke. Parting once was already difficult to face. Twice? He wasn’t sure if he could survive that.

“Where do you want to go my love?” He watched her face.  
“Back.” She smiled. Tugging her shirt up she revealed her scar. She traced the golden scars on her lower stomach with her fingers.  
He looked at them in awe. The golden scars still glowed like it wasn’t three years ago that it happened.  
“I want to go back, Ezra. I want to see them again. I have been aching for you and our secret.”  
“Then that’s my promise. We will quit this place and explore Mångata once again.”

She smiled at his promise. “Kiss me, Ezra.” And he moved to settle on top of her and they kissed again. Ready to explore both each other and Mångata soon enough as well.


End file.
